G20: Capitalism means war

As the leaders of the ‘free world’ at the G20 summit sit down to champagne, caviar and the grand task of ‘solving the economic crisis’, the last thing likely to be on their minds are the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Two shattered countries with no infrastructure and over one million dead and they tell us that 'the objectives have nearly been achieved'!

As the leaders of the ‘free world’ at the G20 summit sit down to
champagne, caviar and the grand task of ‘solving the economic crisis’,
the last thing likely to be on their minds are the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan. The new administration in Washington triumphantly tells us
that Iraq is stabilising and that the conflict in Afghanistan is
'winnable'. Two shattered countries with no infrastructure and over one
million dead and they tell us that 'the objectives have nearly been
achieved'!

Troops in Afghanistan

U.S and British imperialism went into the Middle East on the flimsy
pretense of fighting terrorism and bringing peace, plenty, milk and
honey to the region. Really these imperialist conquests were for
control and resources and to reign in increasingly uncooperative
governments in Baghdad and Kabul. But importantly the U.S had the aim
of hegemony over the Middle East and to have stable countries in which
to put military bases from which 'police action' could be launched
against anyone less in the region who got too big for their boots. In
short, the US' plan was to entrench their position as sole merchant,
banker and gendarme in the Middle East.

Looking back at these plans, it now seems utter fantasy. The war
was to create ideal conditions for US business to strip the region of
its remaining natural resources and to ensure the US military could
out-gun anyone (e.g Iran) who may dare challenge it. But now we know
that it didn't work out like that. In great part because of the neo-con
clique's incompetence, both Afghanistan and Iraq have descended into
chaos, and that’s certainly no good for business.

Obama's real motive for pulling out of Iraq is to be able to afford to stay in Afghanistan. Drawing by Latuff.

In both countries imperialism has over-stretched itself. There
aren't enough troops or the money left to keep these costly occupations
going. That’s Obama's real motive for pulling out of Iraq: to be able
to afford to stay in Afghanistan. In the same vein the reason for the
crisis of capitalism we now see all around us is that the system has
over extended itself, just as it has in its neo-colonial adventures.
They now have to make severe cut backs across the board (with the
exception of bankers' bonuses) just to keep afloat. The war and the
crisis are two symptoms of the same disease. It is the banks and big
business owners, the masters of this crooked capitalist system, that
drive the war machine to extend their influence and push up their
profits. As the crisis deepens we will see more wars as the capitalists
of various nations scrabble win more markets and resources. In a time
of scarcity no compromises will hold. This has already begun: Gaza and
Georgia are a taste of the type of small, but bloody skirmishes that
are on their way. Here is the contradiction at the heart of it all,
they can't afford to fight but have to just to keep themselves in the
black. It's a contradiction that the system cannot solve. It’s like
capitalism has hit against a brick wall and it’s trying to bomb its way
through.

Socialists must stand firmly against these imperialist wars and
continue to demand a complete withdrawl from Iraq and Afghanistan. But
we understand at the same time that under the capitalist system war is
inevitable. For it is not really the war-mongering politicians that
cause wars - they are only puppets - but the bankers and the
capitalists. It is not the rich that lose their jobs, or are sent to
die 'for their country', nor are they the ones that lose their families
to US or Israeli shells. No, it is ordinary working people whether in
Britain or America, Iraq or Afghanistan. Our fight is the same and it
is the same enemy we are fighting. War and economic turmoil and
symptoms of the same disease and they need a single cure: we need to
fight against war but in the same breath make the call for socialism.